


Forward

by valenstyne



Category: Maurice (1987), Maurice - E. M. Forster
Genre: M/M, Romantic Fluff, bookverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-27
Updated: 2014-11-27
Packaged: 2018-02-27 03:57:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2678132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valenstyne/pseuds/valenstyne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brief coda to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/864449">The Steps Before</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forward

**Author's Note:**

> I think this was originally part of The Steps Before that I took out, maybe? All I know is I found it on my harddrive, polished it a bit, and here it is.

Back in the boathouse, Maurice found Alec gazing into the dying fire. He went and sat beside him. “I told you I’d come back.”

“How’d Mr Durham take it, then?” Alec asked.

“No better than I expected,” Maurice said. He felt as though he had been released from prison. “Don’t be jealous—I shan’t see him again, ever, I expect.” Once, that knowledge would have hurt him; now, it was a blessed relief.

“I’m not jealous.” Alec leaned his head on Maurice’s shoulder. “What’ll we do now? We can’t stay here all night.”

“Can’t we?” The thought of spending the night together in Clive’s boathouse was deliciously wicked, but Maurice knew better. “We shall take a train back to the city,” he decided. “It’s not too late yet, there ought to be one running if we go soon. We can stay in a hotel tonight and then make plans in the morning.” He put his arms around Alec and kissed his tousled hair. “There isn’t any rush,” he murmured.

Alec’s hand came to rest on Maurice’s thigh. “There isn’t,” he said, tracing little circles with his fingertips. “Not now.” He tilted his head back and Maurice kissed him on the mouth, wanting to stay in this space of quiet warmth forever. 

But practicality beckoned; they must go if they were to catch the train. Maurice disentangled himself and stood, reluctantly. Alec rose with him, and for a brief moment they were awkward, shy as schoolboys afraid to look each other in the eye. Then Alec flushed a little and took Maurice’s hand. “We’d best be off.”

“Yes,” Maurice said, gripping Alec’s fingers tightly, joy warm in his chest. “Yes,” as hand-in hand he and Alec stepped out onto the great dark lawns they would leave behind forever. They were together, and they were free.


End file.
